Ankle strap for shoes



May 1, 1928 1,668,480

F. A. BALLOU ET AL ANKLE STRAP FOR SHOES Filed April 22, 1927 f; ,l qyers ,z'J/al /o/a f ATTORNEYS.

Patented May 1, 1928.

UNITED. STATES I PATENT OFFICE...

FREDERICK A. BALLOU, 0F NAYATT, AND ROGERS T. STAFFORD, OFEAST PROVIDENCE,

RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOBS'TO'Bi A. BALIJOU, 8t (30., INC., 01 PROVIDENCE, BHODB ISLAND, A G'QBPORATION 0F RHODE ISLAND.

ANKLE STRAP SHOES.

Application. filed s in 22, 1927. Serial No. 185,741.

Thiswinvention relates to an improved construction of ankle strap; and has for its object to provide such a strap and to also provide means ,for attaching this strap to the rear portion of the shoe oi the wearer.

A further object of the invention is to form the strap flexible and extendible and to provide means-for clampingthe rear portion of the strap to the adjacent portion of the shoe-of the wearer. i

A still further object of the invention is to form this ankle strap of a plurality of metal links and to also provide a cooper-at ing instep strap having means byv which it is connected to the margins of the shoe and to provide an ornamental member for connecting the tworstraps together.

\Vith these and otherobjects in view, the invention consists of certain-imvel Features at construction as will he more fully described,,and particularly pointed-out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings Fi ure 1 is a ers ective view illustratino' C: O

my improved ankle-strap in position with its,

rean portion attached tothe adjacent portion ofthe shoe of the wearer.

Figure-2 is the ornamental portion of the strapshowing the rear portion thereof where the ends are connectedtogether and showing the hinge portion of the shoe-attaching clip.

Figure 3 is an edge view online 3-3. of Figure 2 partly in section and showing the hook for connecting the ends of the strap together.

Figure 4: is a View showing the'length of the ankle-strap with a hook on one end of the strap andv an eye to receive the opposite end of the strapv carrying a clasp for securing this portion of the strap to the shoe.

Figure 5 is a view partly in section illustrating the clamp which grips. the edge of the shoe to retain the ankle strap inpositi on.

Figure dis a fragmental view illustrating the enlarged ornamental membc r as provided on the central link for the extendiblc chain.

Figure 7 shows this ornamental member as being mounted upon the chain.

Figure 8 is a plan view illustrating the length of the ankle strap and the instep strap both being connected together by an ornamental link.

Figure 9 is a sectional view on line 9-9 of Figure8 showing the arrangement for connecting the ankle strap with the instep strap.

Figure 10 s aperspective view combining i the ankle strap and instep strap in. position and on. the foot and connected to the shoe of the wearer.

Figure 11 is a plan view showing fragmental portions of the ankle strap and the instep strap and showing 'themconnected to gether by extendible links.

It is foundby wearers of that style of shoe known as a pump or slipper, desirable to provide an ankle strap which may be or na mental and at the same time provide means on this strap for assisting inv retaining the heel of the shoe from slipping on the foot of the wearer; also it is found of advantage in order that this stra may conform to the muscles of the foot while walking,.that the strap should be flexible and extendible and also it is found of advantage in some instancesto also provide an instep strap which may also be of the same general ornamental type of strap and to-provide means whereby this strap may be connected to the sides of the shoe'upper and then to connect these two straps together preferably at the instep portion by another flexible or. ornamental link by which construction the shoe is made very ornamental and at the same time serving vthe useful purpose of preventing the heel from slipping. The instep strap provides convenient means for securingthe shoe firmly on the loot while the ankle strap with its rear connection serves to prevent the heel from slipping which is of importance while dancing or walking; and. the following is a detailed description of the present embodiment of our invention and showing many other arrangements of straps by which these advantageous results may be accomplished With reference to the drawings, 10 design ates an ankle strap which is preferably formed of a plurality of metal link units which comprise essentially an. outer box link 11 and an inner slide link 12, one end of the slide link within the box link being pressed towards contracted position by a spring 13, whereby each link unit is adapted to receive a sliding endways extension and contracting action to exert a flexible tension about the ankle of the wearer.

link 14 having an eye portion 15 for the reception of the hook portion 16 on the opposite end link 17 by which the opposite ends of this strap may be connected together.

On one edge of the end link 14 we form a projecting plate 18 having spaced fingers 19 adapted to have their end portions rolled into loop or eye form 20 to receive the pivot pin 21 by which the clasp 22 is connected to this strap. This clasp is preferably constructed ot' a body portion 23 in which is mounted a spring-pressed inner tongue member at having a biting tooth 25 which may grip the inner surface of the stock 26 of the upper edge of the shoe at the heel and so connect the rear portion of the strap to the shoe whereby the strap will assist in holding the heel of the shoe in position against slipping which is of advantage while walking or dancing.

The type of clasp we preferably employ in this strap is more fully described in our co-pending patent application Serial No. 174,317, filed March 10, 1927. In some instances, we form an ornamental central link 27 with hooks 28 at its ends by which it may be connected as an enlarged link of the chain or strap, if desired, while in other instances, when desired we may provide an ornamentalmember 29 and connect the same by solder or otherwise at the point 30 to one of the links of the chain, while in still other instances we may employ in addition to the ankle strap 10 an instep strap 31 the links of which may be constructed to conform in appearance and action to those of the ankle strap and in some cases clamps 39 may be provided at each end of the instep strap by which these ends may be detachably connected to the opposite margins of the shoe, as best illustrated in Figure 10, and in this case we may connect these two straps together at their middle portions by an ornamental member 33 by hooks 34, if desired, while in other instances this connecting member may be constructed of one or more extendible links 35, as illustrated in Figure 11.

By the employment of our improved ankle strap we may form the same very ornamental in appearance and at the same time provide a clip or clamp by which it may be connected to the heel of a shoe to assist in preventing the heel from slipping while walking or dancing. In other instances, if desired, we may also employ an ankle strap and connect the two together which in addition to being ornamental also serves to assist in firmly retaining the shoe on the foot of the wearer.

The foregoing description is directed solely towards the construction illustrated but we desire it to be understood that we reserve the privilege or" resorting to all the mechanical changes to which the device is susceptible, the invention being defined and limited only by the terms of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. An ankle strap for shoescomprising two parts connected together intermediate their ends, one of said parts being of a length to encircle the ankle, means for detachably connecting portions of the ankle encircling parts together, a clamp associated with the ankle encircling part and positioned at a point for gripping the rear upper portion of the shoe, the other part of said strap being of a length to extend over the instep of the wearer to substantially the margins of the shoe, and securing means on the ends of the instep part to detachably grip the margins of the shoe to secure the strap in place.

2. An ankle strap for shoes comprising two yieldingly eXtendible parts connected together intermediate their ends, one of said parts being of a length to encircle the ankle, means for detachably connecting portions of the ankle encircling parts together, a clamp associated with the ankle encircling partand positioned at a point for gripping the rear upper portion of the shoe, the other part of said strap being of a length to extend over the instep of the wearer to substantially the margins of the shoe and jaws attached to the ends of the instep part to detachably grip the margins of the shoe to secure the strap in place.

3. An ankle strap for shoes comprising two parts each composed of extendible units connected together to telescope one within the other, means for connecting said parts together intermediate their ends, one of said parts being of a length to encircle the ankle with means at its ends for joining said ends together, a clamp associated with said ankle encircling part for gripping the rear edge of the shoe, the other part of said strap being or a length to extend over the instep of the wearer to the margins of the shoe, and clamps on the ends of the instep strap to detachably grip the margins of the shoe.

4;. An ankle strap for shoes con'lprising a series of metal units of a length to encircle the ankle of the wearer, some of said units being composed of links yieldingly extendible one relative to the other, a clamp for V gripping'the rear edge portion of the shoe,

a loop associated with said clamp, means for attaching one end of the strap to said loop, and means for detachably attaching the opposite end of the strap to said loop.

In testimony whereof we ailiX our signatures.

FREDERICK A. BALLOU. ROGERS T. STAFFORD. 

